Introduction | Carotenoids | Occurrence | Examples | Biosynthesis | Tech. Synthesis | Literature

Ever since the elucidation of the structure of β-carotene (III) and other carotenoids much effort has been devoted to the synthesis of carotenoids and other polyenes. Today six synthetic carotenoids (Fig. 2) have become commercially important: 8′-apo-β-caroten-8’-al (XIII)(C30), ethyl 8’-apo-β-caroten-8’-oate (XV)(C32), citranaxanthin (XVI)(C33), β-carotene (III)(C40), canthaxanthin (XI)(C40), and a mixture of the stereoisomers of astaxanthin (XII)(C40).

Figure 2